Some of the most successful portfolios are the most boring ones. Famous investor George Soros said, “If investing is entertaining, if you’re having fun, you’re probably not making any money. Good investing is boring.” There is no secret or insider trading needed. Just the most obvious stocks sitting in your portfolio, doing the most obvious dip and rally alongside the market.
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Five TSX stocks to buy for a winning portfolio
Companies that have stable businesses, regular cash flows, and manageable debt are a good pick for your core portfolio. Stocks can give returns in the form of capital gains and dividends. Even a stable business goes through economic ups and downs. But investing is knowing that the dip is an opportunity to buy.
Descartes Systems stock
Take the case of Descartes Systems (TSX: DSG), a supply chain management solutions provider. The company offers customs and compliance solutions, Global Trade Intelligence, e-commerce, route planning, inventory management, and all logistics solutions a company needs. Its stock has been declining since the 2025 US tariff war. However, the company continued to grow revenue and earnings through acquisitions and increased its net cash reserve throughout these 18 months. As we said before, businesses do take a fall from economic and industrial headwinds. But their fundamentals and preparedness to recover are what make them a stock to buy for a winning portfolio.
Loblaw stock
Loblaw (TSX: L) is the supermarket where Canadians come to buy food and medicine. It has adopted a sustainable retail store model. The grocery chain keeps opening new stores and achieving breakeven at a faster rate through data-driven insights. New store openings are neither aggressive nor too slow. Loblaw is leveraging its strengths of large footfall to help brands reach customers through advertising in Loblaw stores, on its e-commerce site, and through the PC Optimum loyalty program.
Loblaw keeps adapting to the changing retail trends. For instance, it earned from the “Buy Canadian” move in 2025 by stocking up Canadian alternatives to US products. This moving-with-the-trend approach helps Loblaw’s stock price double every five years. You may not find a story of unprecedented growth here, but slow and steady returns.
CT REIT
The two stocks we discussed so far can give calm growth in the long term. CT REIT (TSX: CRT.UN) can also give you assured monthly dividends. The business model is simple. Canadian Tire has stores all over Canada, and CT REIT is the subsidiary that buys, develops, and maintains the stores. The retailer gives a down payment to develop the store. CT REIT leases the store to the parent. Rent increases by 1.5% annually, and overall income increases as new stores get added.
You benefit from a 5.3% dividend yield, which grows by an average annual rate of 3%. The unit price also increases as more stores are added to CT REIT’s property portfolio.
Cogeco Communications stock
Another dividend stock worth owning is Cogeco Communications (TSX: CCA). The stock was volatile like other telecom stocks, but it has now established a price range that reflects the shift from an oligopoly market to a price-competitive market. This shift reduced Cogeco’s average revenue per user and the dividend growth. The market has priced in the reduction, and now the dividend yield is closer to 6% and dividend growth in the range of 6–8%. Its 30% dividend payout ratio makes it a relatively safer dividend stock, as the company has the flexibility to pay dividends even in a volatile market.
The XQQ ETF
The iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (TSX: XQQ) is a cost-efficient way to get exposure to the US tech landscape from the comfort of the TSX. The ETF mirrors the Nasdaq 100 Index, which could see the entry of SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI in the next few months. If these stocks become the next trillion-dollar market cap, the XQQ ETF could surge by leaps and bounds. And if the AI bubble bursts, the ETF could limit the downside to 30–40% instead of 80–90% when investing in individual stocks.
